A promise breaks more than trust

Anyone who has been keeping up with the news about the current Iraq situation is either not suprised it happened or is completely devastated. Bush recently announced the extension of up to 125 days for the 1st Battalion, 133rd Infantry.

I experienced just how heart-crushing this news was first-hand. My roommate, Rana, has a fiancee who is a member of the group that was extended. The couple had a set marriage date for June 30, 2007. Obviously with this extension he will miss their wedding date. Unfortunately, this is not the worst part. This experience was truly dramatic for her since she did not know if the information she heard about her loved one was true.

Families and whoever else the soldier writes down as a contact are supposed to be contacted first about the news of the troops.

Rana first got word of the troop extension from a friend, who learned of the news on the television. Nobody ever officially notified Rana that her husband-to-be would not be home for his wedding. She learned secondhand of a meeting called by the National Guard in Des Moines on Friday.

Members of the National Guard apologized for the way families became informed of the extension, but they were unable to give an explanation as to why it happened.

It should not have been presented to them on the news, especially since the news was sending mixed messages. One rumor informed Rana that the troops were to be extended up to a whole year. If news stations are not 100 percent positive about news-breaking news, then they should be responsible enough to let their viewers know they are not sure of the answer, and they will keep the viewers updated with any new information. What possible good could come out of leading people on with false information?

This is a very unethical outcome because families and others listed as contacts have the right to be the first ones notified about their soldier by a direct phone call. A promise made by the government was carelessly broken, which leaves a torn relationship between those soldiers' families and the government.